A major North East hospital trust has been told to make 'immediate improvements' after a damning inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Inspectors found leadership at the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust to be 'inadequate,' with staff raising concerns that bosses had prioritized financial issues over patient safety.
CQC Inspection Findings
The CQC published reports highlighting leadership failures and issues in surgical services at University Hospital of North Durham, Bishop Auckland Hospital, and Darlington Memorial. Surgery at each location was rated as 'requires improvement.' The inspections took place in October 2025, shortly after new leadership took over.
Inspectors noted that the trust had become 'too financially focused,' and staff were frustrated at having to repeatedly raise the same patient safety concerns without being heard. There were also 'numerous missed opportunities' for hospital bosses to be open and honest with patients and families after harm had occurred.
Specific Concerns
- A 'culture of resistance to change' and lack of up-to-date clinical or financial strategies.
- Complaints not handled in a timely manner or used for learning.
- 'Substantial failures' in oversight of subcontracted services.
- Insufficient staff to keep patients safe in surgical areas.
- Staff did not always assess, manage, and monitor risks properly.
Chris Storton, CQC deputy director of hospitals in the North East, said: 'During our inspections, we found that standards of care had deteriorated since our last visit. Senior leaders didn't always have appropriate risk management processes in place to keep people safe.' He highlighted a missing call bell system for emergencies in theatre, which was flagged internally but not fixed for nearly a year after funding was agreed.
Staff Concerns
Staff described a 'blame culture' and some were actively discouraged from speaking up about concerns. Mr. Storton emphasized: 'It's absolutely critical that the trust addresses this as a priority. Everyone deserves to feel respected and heard.'
Positive Aspects
The inspection did note good partnership working with the North East Combined Authority on improving transport links to the hospital.
Trust Response
County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust chief executive Steve Russell said: 'We fully accept the findings of these reports and apologize where we have fallen short of the standards our patients, communities, and colleagues rightly expect.' He noted that since the inspections, significant work has been done to strengthen patient safety, improve governance, and support staff. Improvements include safer staffing arrangements, reduced complaint backlogs, and a redesigned risk management system.
Mr. Russell added: 'While there is still more to do, we are already seeing progress in a number of areas.' He also highlighted that Community Health Services for Adults were rated 'Good' across all areas, and praised the compassion and dedication of staff.
